Sean teased Erin for another twenty minutes about her eating habits before he looked regretfully at his watch, and commented how late it was. They settled the bill and he walked Erin to her car. Just before she drove away, he said, “I’m glad you’re happy Erin, and I really do like Carson.”
“Thanks, Dad. That means a lot to me. Do you have a ride to the airport tomorrow?”
“I’m fine. Josh Keyes is going to drive me, and we’re going to stop for lunch before the flight. He’s been badgering me for a visit before I leave.”
“Will you call me when you get home, to let me know you’ve made it all right?”
“Yes, now will you stop worrying? Carson’s going to wonder what happened to you.”
Sean abruptly leaned down through the window and kissed Erin on the cheek.
Finally convinced that her father had everything under control, Erin waved at him and pulled into traffic.
Chapter Twenty-Three
ERIN DROVE TO Carson’s house with a mixture of anticipation and nerves that caused a massive uprising of butterflies in her stomach. She thought about the advice her father had given her and the jealousy she had experienced all week that made her deliberately distance herself from Carson. She knew she had no right to be resentful of Carson’s friendship with Joyce. She certainly was allowed to have friends, but didn’t Carson realize what giving expensive jewelry to someone meant?
From the sound of things, Carson shared a long history with her friend, and Erin worried that it went further than that. Logically she realized that if Carson was going to be involved with Joyce, it would have happened a long time ago, but that didn’t make her feel any better. Maybe Carson was uncertain about what she felt. It was possible she had feelings for Erin and Joyce.
Neither Erin nor Carson had ever mentioned any kind of commitment or even spoken of love, even though they were sleeping together. Maybe Carson didn’t feel the same way Erin did.
Then she remembered the look in Carson’s eyes when they were together and realized she was being unfair. It was clear Carson cared deeply for her, and Erin suddenly wondered if she was making up excuses in her head for why things wouldn’t work out between them.
Not for the first time, she reminded herself that Carson wasn’t Rose. Carson wasn’t experienced in intimate relationships, and would never deliberately toy with Erin. If she said all she shared with Joyce was friendship, then that was it, and if Erin wanted this thing to work out with Carson, she was going to have to trust her. That meant Erin would have to talk with Carson. She would have to let Carson know of her fears and insecurities, and hope they could work through it.
Erin pulled through the open gate into Carson’s driveway. The garage was closed, so Erin stopped in front of it and shut off the engine of her car. She grabbed her overnight bag from the seat, and walked toward the front door with doubts and worries still swirling through her head. Then the front door opened and she looked up into Carson’s open, smiling face.
The look of tenderness in Carson’s blue eyes made all of her insecurities melt away instantly.
If you love her, you love her. Her father’s words were all she could think in that moment and she knew it was true. I do love her. I do trust her. And I am the luckiest woman in the world to have found her.
All else forgotten, Erin stepped up and slipped her free hand around Carson’s neck. When their lips touched, Erin was jolted by the remembered softness, and reveled in it for an endless amount of time until Carson pulled breathlessly away. Her pale features had a rosy hue, and she smiled as she pulled Erin inside.
“Hi,” Carson said simply and closed the door behind them.
Erin dropped her bag on the floor and slid her other arm around Carson’s neck. “Hi yourself. You look wonderful.”
Carson stepped back with a perplexed look on her face. “It’s just an old sweater.”
Erin didn’t bother to correct Carson’s assumption that she was commenting on her clothing when she glanced down to notice the bare feet. “It looks nice on you.”
“Thanks.”
Carson took Erin’s bag and they walked into the living room.
“How was dinner with your dad?”
“It was fun. I found out he’s seeing someone and he seems happy.”
“He hasn’t dated before?”
Carson sounded surprised and Erin understood why. Her father was a good-looking, intelligent man with a lot to offer. It would probably seem a little unusual to most people that he didn’t really date.
“Not since my mom passed away.”
“How do you feel about that,” Carson asked carefully.
“Fine.” Erin sat on the sofa and rubbed her arms to relieve the chill from the weather. “I could see how someone would be a little uncomfortable to know that their parent was dating, but I don’t feel that way. I’m glad he has someone.”
Carson noticed how Erin shivered and offered to get her some coffee. “I figured you’d want some and I made a fresh pot about ten minutes ago.”
“That sounds lovely. Do you need some help?”
“With coffee?” Carson looked amused. “I can manage, but if you want to go with me that would be okay.”
Erin smiled back and followed Carson into the kitchen. She leaned one hip against the counter while Carson poured the hot liquid and handed her the cup. Erin took a small sip, and thought about how she had been acting all week. It was time to come clean with Carson and clear the air a little.
“Carson, there’s something I have to tell you.”
From the way her face tightened, Erin knew Carson misunderstood her intent. Carson thought Erin was about to call things to a halt. Immediately, she reached out and put a hand on Carson’s arm. “It’s not that. I have a confession to make, that’s all.”
Carson let out a relieved breath. “I’m glad you brought it up. I got the feeling all week that something was going on. It’s nice to know I wasn’t imagining things.”
“Let’s sit down first.”
Carson frowned but walked back to the living room. Erin sat beside her and put her cup on the table. Then she turned toward Carson and took both her hands. She stared down at their clasped hands for a moment to organize her thoughts before she began.
“I’ve been having problems...with Joyce.”
Whatever Carson had expected her to say this clearly wasn’t it. Carson blinked in surprise, opened her mouth, closed it again, and settled on looking confused.
“It’s the watch you gave her for Christmas.”
“What about it?”
“Carson, don’t you think it’s a little strange that you would give a friend, even a good friend, an expensive piece of jewelry like that?”
“No.”
Erin tried again. “Most of the time when someone gives another person something like that it means something.”
“It does mean something. Joyce is my friend.”
“Carson, something like that usually implies more than friendship. It means you are involved intimately with them, or at least want to be.”
“It does?”
From the baffled look on her face, Erin knew she had completely misjudged things. Apparently, all the watch meant to Carson was a gift for a good friend and nothing more.
Suddenly the lights went on with Carson and her eyes widened in shock. “You were jealous of the watch?”
Erin chuckled self-consciously, and shrugged. “I guess so.”
Erin had difficulty looking Carson in the eye now. It was like she was the one who was inexperienced with relationships, and was embarrassed that she had leapt to conclusions. Nevertheless, Carson didn’t let her get away with it. She gently cupped Erin’s chin and urged her to look up.
“Erin, it’s just a watch. You’re right that it means more than friendship, but it’s not what you think. Joyce is all the family I have known since I was five years old. Even though she isn’t a blood relative, she is closer than any sister I could have. My own father didn’t wa
nt me after my mother died, but Joyce has been there for me since I met her, no matter what. If an expensive piece of jewelry makes her happy then she will have it.”
It was the second time Carson had said her father didn’t want her, but this time Erin realized how much more Joyce’s friendship would mean to Carson for that reason.
“I was being insecure,” Erin admitted. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. If I haven’t made it clear how much...you mean to me, then I am the one who needs to apologize.”
Carson leaned down and gently brushed her lips against Erin’s. When she pulled away, Erin could only look up at her with shining eyes. “How could he not want you? You are so wonderful.”
Erin was surprised when Carson suddenly flushed and pulled away. Carson looked down at her tightly clasped hands. “He had a reason. I’m not as perfect as you think. But I don’t want to talk about him.” She looked back up. “While we are making confessions there is something I have to ask you.”
“All right.”
Erin was curious about Carson’s reaction and made a mental not to ask again later, but she allowed the change of conversation for the moment.
“I told you how well Delphi is doing and about the idea for developing a game.”
“Yes?”
Carson cleared her throat nervously. “We believe, that is my team and I, believe it is time we hired a dedicated attorney for the company.”
“I thought you already had that. Isn’t that what I am?”
“No.” Carson shook her head. “At the moment, you’re filling in for Mr. Eldridge. When he comes back Delphi will be represented by him again.”
“True.”
“We don’t want that. Let me finish,” Carson said when Erin would have interrupted.
“Before you say anything I want you to know that even when Mr. Eldridge comes back I don’t want him representing my company. It’s nothing personal. I’m sure he’s a fine attorney. I just don’t think he’s right for Delphi.”
“What did you have in mind?”
Erin thought she had an idea where this was going and thoughts of impropriety were already dancing around in her mind.
“We want you to represent Delphi...exclusively.”
Erin was shocked by the unexpected offer. She knew Carson didn’t care for Ray’s representation, but never expected this. Right away, she knew if she accepted the offer there would be potential problems. The first was Ray. He would be furious, and rightly so. Carson was initially his client and there could be ethical problems if Erin took charge. Of course, Ray’s hurt feelings wouldn’t affect her job since she would no longer be a partner of Eldridge, Donovan, and White if she accepted.
Then there was the problem of her current clients. What about them? Who would represent them? What about her relationship with Carson? Would it be a conflict of interest?
At least it would solve one problem, Erin thought. If someone did find out about her relationship with Carson, it wouldn’t matter, and she didn’t like having to hide how she felt about Carson. Overall, it was a lot to take in all at once.
“There would be a lot of problems if I did that.”
“Is that a yes?”
Carson looked so excited and hopeful that Erin couldn’t help smiling back at her, but she had to answer honestly. “No. It means I’ll think about it. Now, I believe you said something about a bathing suit.
Want to tell me why I brought a bathing suit in the middle of winter?”
“Ah!”
Carson stood abruptly and held out her hand. Erin took the offered hand and stood when Carson tugged gently. “Remember how cold you were only a short time ago?”
“Yes?”
“Well, I thought a dip in the spa would be just thing to warm you up.”
“You did, did you?”
“Yes. You do remember where the hot tub is?”
“How could I forget that huge tub?”
Erin remembered the whirlwind tour Carson had given her the first time she visited. She envisioned the hot tub Carson had thoughtfully arranged to have on the inside of the house rather than the deck, like most people would have, and suddenly couldn’t wait to get into the hot water.
“Five minutes,” she asked excitedly.
“Five minutes.” Carson leaned down and playfully kissed Erin on the nose.
They parted company at the bedroom doorways. Erin used the guestroom she had previously occupied to change into her suit before she left to meet Carson at the hot tub. When she arrived, it was just in time to see Carson lower herself into the bubbly water. Full curves filled out the cups of the blue bikini and Erin suddenly didn’t know how to breathe. Her heart thudded painfully against her chest before it settled into a normal, albeit slightly faster, rhythm.
Erin swallowed against a dry throat and stepped barefoot up to the edge of the spa. Her own suit was a modest black one-piece that she thought couldn’t even compare to what Carson wore. She couldn’t help but stare at the vision in front of her.
Candles burned all around the spa but Carson had extinguished the overhead lights. Only the lights from the hallway backlit the room enough to define the liquor bottle and two glasses that sat on a nearby table. Erin’s blood overheated without ever stepping a foot into the hot tub, and she considered that spontaneous combustion was a very real possibility.
“Are you going to come in or would you rather watch,” Carson asked in a smoky voice that sent tingles down Erin’s spine.
“Oh, I’m definitely coming in.”
Erin slid into the water barely stifling a gasp as the sudden heat enveloped her. Even still, she only had eyes for Carson.
Carson’s eyes darkened in mutual desire as Erin loomed above her. Long arms came up to grasp Erin’s hips and then their limbs were sliding together. Erin reached up and slid her fingers into Carson’s hair, her fingers tangling in the silken strands. Slowly she pulled Carson’s face toward her until she could brush their lips together, the overwhelming feelings that rushed through her making the kiss almost hesitant.
Erin gasped as she felt the fullness of Carson’s soft lips. She groaned and closed her eyes, and pressed in a little more until Carson’s lips parted under hers. Her tongue eased inside and Carson stroked against it with her own. Carson’s arms were around her waist, holding Erin tight against her amidst the dance of the bubbling hot water, which served only to inflame Erin further.
She pulled away gasping for breath and looked down at Carson’s flushed features.
“Suddenly a dip in the hot tub isn’t really what I want.”
“Are you trying to seduce me?”
Carson’s voice was light and teasing, but Erin decided she wanted Carson to know the truth...how she truly felt. “No. I want to make love to you.”
She saw the knowledge register in Carson’s eyes, heard it in her voice when she gasped, “Erin!”
Erin pulled away and Carson followed. They got out of the hot tub and simultaneously grabbed for towels to absorb the majority of the water flowing down their bodies, but their destination was paramount in both their minds.
Carson started blowing out candles when a loud boom of thunder sounded overhead. Erin was startled for a moment when the lights went out.
“Looks as though we’ve lost power,” Carson said softly.
Erin looked up into Carson’s face in the warm glow of moonlight. “That’s all right. We won’t need the lights.”
Carson turned toward her bedroom with Erin close behind her. Towels and wet bathing suits fell negligently to the floor next to the bed, but Erin stopped Carson from closing the small distance between them. “Wait, I want to look at you.”
Small droplets of water still clung to Carson’s skin and outlined her lean frame. One small pearl clung to a coral colored nipple before it dropped and rolled down her flat stomach. Six feet of perfection stood displayed before Erin, a curious mix of timeless womanhood and shy innocence, and she was humbled by the visi
on.
“You’re so beautiful,” Erin breathed.
Carson didn’t answer, but she smiled and pulled the covers back on the bed. She lay down and held them back for Erin much as she had the first time Erin spent the night. Erin gladly climbed onto the mattress and up next to Carson. She gasped at the dual sensation of warm, feminine flesh pressed against her front and cold toes against her feet. Then she dipped her head down and captured Carson’s lips with her own. It began as a tender exploration, but quickly changed to a passionate embrace.
Carson put her arms around Erin and began to caress up and down her back. Erin trailed one hand down Carson’s neck, to her shoulder, and then down to one voluptuous breast. She gently circled the tender skin, stopping just short of the nipple for long agonizing moments before she finally took the hardened flesh between her fingers.
Carson gasped and cried out into Erin’s mouth. Erin pulled back and tweaked the nipple gently. “You feel so good,” she groaned. Carson only gasped and began to rock her hips against Erin.
Erin bent her head and licked the swollen nipple before she finally took it into her mouth. Then she started to suck, gently. She tortured Carson by alternating between both breasts until she was fairly crying out in frustrated need. Then she kissed her way back up to Carson’s mouth, gently kissing the corner of the lips before Carson managed to seize her lips in a kiss.
Suddenly Erin couldn’t take any more. She had to touch Carson.
She slid her hand away from Carson’s breast and down her stomach. “Spread your legs, darling.”
When Carson whimpered and immediately parted her legs, Erin gently slid her middle finger into her. Hot flesh grasped her tightly, and Erin groaned. “Oh, Carson!”
She began to stroke in and out, first slowly, then more firmly as Carson responded to her, thrusting against her. Erin bent her head to suck at a taut nipple, pulling it between her teeth, flicking it with her tongue. Carson’s movements became more insistent and Erin thrust harder, quicker, until Carson was crying out as warm walls began to tighten convulsively, almost painfully around her finger.
Even after the spasms subsided, Carson’s body was tense, quivering. Erin took that as an invitation and slid down to take her lover in her mouth. She licked insistently against the hardened ridge of flesh even as she began to thrust inside again. Carson came again almost immediately. The sounds Carson made coupled with her taste were finally too much for Erin. She cried out as her body surrendered to its own release.
Now You See Me Page 32